Emergency gate for spillways and overflow dams



Dec. 29 1925- 1,567,715

c. DE WITT .muamarmcy GATE on SPILLWAYS AND OVBRFLOW mus Filed March 17, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTDR. CLINTON as W/r'r.

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C. DE WITT EMERGENCY GATE FOR SPILLWAYS AND OVERFLOWDAMS Filed March 17, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VENTDR. CLINTON DE WIT M EZ M A rrcmwsvs Dec. 29, 1925. 1,567,715

C. DE WITT EMERGENCY GATE FOR SPILLWAYS AND OVERFLOW DAMS Filed March 17, 1924 s .Sneets-Sheet s -mu MIIM, I

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Patented Dec. 1 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES CLINTON DE WITT, OI BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

EMERGENCY GATE FOR SPILLWAYS AND OVERFLOW DAMS.

Application filed March 17, 1924. Serial No. 699,644.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON DE VVITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Emergency Gates for Spillways and Overflow Dams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an emergency gate for spillways and overflow dams.

Where very large quantities of water must be discharged over spillways or dams of the overflow type, and where the reservoir water surface must be kept below required elevations, the spillway crest must be divided into sections and controlled by gates. The usual types of gates employed for this purpose are radial, Stoney roller or gates with fixed rollers, drum, roller and various types of automatic gates. For smaller openings flash-boards or needles may be used but as the span and depth in crease they become too cumbersome.

When repairs are required for any of the above mentioned types of gates, it is necessary to block off the opening between piers above the gate requiring repairs or'to lower the reservoir level below the overflow crest. The latter method may be too costly to consider as the larger volume of storage is obtained between the upper reservoir levels and a reduced head'on such power plants as draw on the reservoir results.

The first named method, that'is, of blocking ofi the individual opening, may then be the only feasible one. For gates spanning large openings of considerable head, the

usual method of employing 'flash-boards may be impossible as it is diflic'ult to get the necessary structural strength with planks that can be readily handled.

A coifendam may be built at considerable expense and delay, and if no other method is provided, it maybe the only solution.

The object of the present invention is to provide a portable emergency gate which may be moved along the crest of the dam, and which is adapted to be raised or lowered with relation to any one of a number of spillways; to provide a trackway and 'a carriage for the support of the emergency gate; to provide means for raising or lowering the gate with relation to the carriage and the spillways; and further, to improve and simplify the construction and o eration of gates of the character describe ing drawings, in which- One form which my invention may assume 1s exemplified 1n the followlng descrlptlon and illustratedin the accompany- Fig. 1 is a front view of a dam provided with a number of spillways, said dam showing one position of the carriage and the emergency gate supported thereby.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section ofthe crest of'the dam, said view also showing the position of the carriage and the emergency gate supported thereby.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the carriageand the emergency gate.

Fig. 4 is a plan section on line 4.- i, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a detachable form of gate.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A. indicates the dam proper, and 2. 3,4, 5 and 6, a series 0f spillways formed in the crest of the dam. Mounted in each spillway is a gate 7 of the radial type; this gate being perhaps best illustrated in cross-section in Fig. 2. The gate 7 presents a curved face against the water and it is pivotally mounted at the point 8. The gate is shown in closed position and when it is opened it assumes the dottedline position indicated at 7*. Any suitable form of mechanism may be employed'for raising and lowering the same, but as different types of mechanisms may be employed and as such mechanism forms no part of the present invention, illustrattion thereof hasbeeneliminated. It should further be understood that while a radial type of gate is shown any other type may be employed. Gates of the radial type or otherwise require attention and repair'from time to time, and it is therefore often necessary to remove them.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide means for lowering an emergency gate such as indicated at B in front of the gate 7 when this is to be removed, and as only one gate is usually removed at a time only one emergency gate will be employed. The emergency gate illustrated in this instance is supported by a carriage generally indicated at C. the carriage'being employed for the purpose of moving the gate B from one spillway to another.

The carriage travels on trackways such as indicated at 9, 10 and 11. The carriage 1s provided with two screws such as shown at 12 and 12 which are operated by an electric motor or the like through means of a reduction gear train such as indicated at 13. supported thereby, normally assumes the position shown at 15 in 1. When it is desired to employ the same it is only necessary to move the carriage along the track- Ways 9, 10 and 11 until the carriage registers with a particular spillway. The emergency gate B is then lowered by means of the screws 12 and the flow of water is thus shut off. The gate"? is thenaccessible and may be raised and removed for repair or otherwise.

The spillways are divided by buttresses or partition walls such as indicated at 16 and guideways for the reception of the emergency gate are formed in the side walls of the buttresses as indicated at 17 (see Fig. 4:) the gate B being provided with rollers 18 to reduce friction to a minimum.

The carriage proper is constructed of structural steel throughout and as such is rigid and compact in construction. The gate B telescopes with relation to the carriage and as such is completely protected and enclosed When not in use.

The power from the motor, as previously stated, is transmitted through a reduction gear train such as indicated at 13 to a longitudinally extending shaft 19. This shaft carries a bevel pinion 20 at each end and these pinions in turn transmit their-power to bevel gears -21 secured on the upper end of the screw shafts 12 and 12. The motor proper is of the reversible type and the power may thus be transmitted either to raise or to lower the gate as the case may be. No means are employed for the purpose of moving the carriage longitudinally on the trackways, but it is obvious that any suitable means may be employed;

The emergency gate proper is also constructed of heavy structural beams as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4;, and as such can readily be designed to take care'of any head of water or pressure desired.

lVhile certain features of the present invention are more or lcssspecifically illus trated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope ofthe appended claims. I similarly wish-it understood' 'that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses-may demand.

While the carriage here illustrated is particularly adapted for the handling of an emergencygate, Twishit understood that one or more gates such as shownin Fi .5 may be employed. This gate is detachable with'relation to the threaded rods 12 and 12 The carriage, together with the gate and as such may be released with relation to the carriage if desired. A number of gates may therefore be lowered into place by the carriage and released, or they may be elevated one by one and moved by the carriage to any point desired when not required.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a dam of the character described, a crest portion having number of spillways formed therein, an emergency gate adapted to cooperate with any one of the spillways, means in each spillway for guiding and receiving the gate, and means for moving the gate longitudinally of the dam and for raising and lowering the gate with relation to any spillway.

2. In a dam of the character described, a crest portion having a number of spillways formed therein, means in each spillway for guiding and receiving the gate, a carriage movable longitudinally of the dam, and an emergency gate supported by the carriage and adapted'to be raised and lowered with relation to the carriage and any one of the spillways.

8. In a dam of the character described, a crest portion having a number of spillways formed therein, a trackway extending substantially from end to end of the crest of the dam, a carriage movable over the trackway, an emergency gate supported by the carriage, an electric motor on the carriage, a reduction gear train driven thereby, and means for transmitting power from the reduction gear train to raise and lower the gate with relation to the carriage and any one of the spillways.

4. In a dam of the character described, a crest portion'havin a number of spillways formed therein, a trackway extending substantially from end to end of the crest of the dam, a carriage movable over the trackway, an emergency gate supported by the carriage, means for raising and lowering the gate with relation to the carriage and any one of the spillways,and means in each spillway for receiving and guiding the emergency gate.

5.In a dam of the character described, a crestportion having a number of spillways formed therein, a trackway extending substantially'from end to end of the crest of the dam, a carriage movable over the track way, a gate for each snillway, and means 011 the carriage for raising and lowering each gate and for moving the gates one by one longitudinally of the dam, saidmeanspermitting removal of the gates with relation to the carriage.

CLINTON DE WITT. 

